Research Proposal Form

Research Proposal Form

Developed by the AZA Research and Technology Committee

February 2014
Instructions: Before completing this form, please contact the institution(s) you plan to work with to confirm (A) that the project would even be possible there, (B) that the institution has adopted this form, and (C) which sections of the form are required by the institution for your project.

SECTION 1 - Basic Information & Approval Signatures

Application Date:      

Principal Investigator (attach CV):      

Title:       Institutional Affiliation:      

Address:      

City:       State:       Zip:       Country:      

Phone:       Fax:       Email:      
Co-Investigators:

Name	Institution	Title	Email
     	     	     	     
     	     	     	     
     	     	     	     

Project Title:      

Start Date of Project       End Date of Project      
Does the study involve human subjects?  Yes  No

If yes, what type of human subjects are involved? Check all that apply:

 Visitors  Members  Staff  Volunteers  Youth under 18  Other:      
Does the study involve animal subjects?  Yes  No (If yes, complete the following questions)

Animal subjects questions:

Please list the common name and full scientific name of each species:      

What type of animal subjects are involved? Check all that apply:

 zoo/aquarium collection animals

 animals on zoo/aquarium grounds but not in the collection

 animals off zoo/aquarium grounds and not in the collection

 wild animals brought into captivity for this project

Does the study involve manipulation of live animals or modification of husbandry protocols?

 Yes  No
Does the project request the collection and transfer of biological samples?  Yes  No
By signing below, I (the Principal Investigator) agree to distribute a full report of the results to all participating institutions at the completion of the study.

PI Signature:       Date:      

Authorizing Official of PI Institution: Name:       Title:      

Signature:       Date:     

SECTION 2 - Abstract (limit one page)

Please provide a brief summary of the project:      

SECTION 3 - Research Project (limit 5 pages)
(A) Brief Project Description (include a brief literature review, background and objectives, significance of project and any unique contribution of this work):      
(B) Study Subjects (include sample size and justification for using these participants):      
(C) Methodology (include experimental design/research methods) Note that section 5 requests protocols for specific procedures that will be implemented at the hosting institution:      
(D) Health, Safety and Welfare considerations:

(i) Please describe the potential health/safety/psychological risks for animals or humans involved in the study:

     

(ii) Please describe your monitoring system for health/safety and psychological wellbeing for this study:

     
(iii) For human studies, under what conditions would a subject be able to choose to withdraw from participation in the study?

     
(iiv) For animal studies, under what conditions would a subject be removed from the study?

     
(v) For animal studies, describe the final disposition of subjects at the completion of the study (e.g. returned to the collection, released into the wild, euthanized, etc.):     
(E) Dissemination of results (check any/all that apply):

 Undergraduate thesis  Non-peer reviewed publication

 Graduate thesis or dissertation  Peer reviewed publication

 Scientific meeting presentation  Public presentation

 Website  Other (describe:      )
SECTION 4 - Permits & Support
(A) Has this project been endorsed or supported by an AZA committee(s) or group(s)?

 Yes  No  Currently in review

If yes or currently in review, please list the name(s) of those committees and/or groups and attach documentation of approval or acceptance for review:      
Studies Involving Animals As Subjects

(B) Has this proposal been approved by an IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee)?

 Yes (attach letter)  No  Currently in review (attach notification of pending review)

If yes or currently in review, please list the name(s) of those institutions:      

(C) Are any special permits required for this project?  Yes  No  Currently in review

If yes or currently in process, please list permit titles, permitting agency, date applied or received, and attach documentation of approval or acceptance for processing:      

Studies Involving Humans As Subjects

(D) Is this project an evaluation of existing education programs?  Yes  No

(E) Has this proposal been approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB)?

 Yes (attach letter)  No  Currently in review (attach notification of pending review)

If yes or currently in review, please list the name(s) of those institutions:      

If no, please explain why this project has not been approved by an IRB:      

Note: Some special categories of human participants checked in Section 1 (e.g. youth <18) require special approvals. Please refer to http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.html for more details.
The Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects or the “Common Rule” was published in 1991 as HHS regulation 45 CFR part 46, include four subparts: subpart A, also known as the Federal Policy or the “Common Rule”; subpart B, additional protections for pregnant women, human fetuses, and neonates; subpart C, additional protections for prisoners; and subpart D, additional protections for children. Although the policy impacts only federal agencies and any organization whose funding may be traced back to federal sources, this policy is generally considered the minimum criteria by which an institutional review board will interpret whether protections are adequately addressed by any research proposer.
Funding

(F) How is this project funded? (please indicate sources of existing funding as well as potential sources

with pending grant applications in process):      

SECTION 5 - Impact on Hosting Institution
(A) Please describe the PI and Co-PIs prior experience working or conducting research in a zoo/aquarium setting and with the target study species:      
(B) Identify zoo/aquarium staff needed to assist with project completion and describe the impact of the project on their time and resources:      
(C) Role of zoo staff in the project:

Is the project purely observational?  Yes  No

Can the study be conducted from public areas?  Yes  No

Can the study be conducted during operating hours?  Yes  No

Can the study be conducted without assistance from zoo personnel?  Yes  No
If you answered no to any of the questions above, please describe what is requested of the hosting institution:      
(D) Describe any records or archival materials that would be required from the institution to support the study:      
(E) What are the benefits of participation for the hosting institution?      
(F) How will the zoo/aquarium and staff be acknowledged in dissemination of results?      
(G) Attach specific protocols for activities & procedures that will be implemented at the hosting institution in conjunction with this study (include human and/or animal subject protocols, as applicable)

SECTION 6 – Biomaterials
(A) Does this project require collection of biomaterials?

 Yes (complete remainder of section 6)  No (skip to section 7))

Species	Sex	Number of Individuals	Type of Sample	Amount of Sample
     	     	     	     	     
     	     	     	     	     
     	     	     	     	     
     	     	     	     	     
     	     	     	     	     
     	     	     	     	     
     	     	     	     	     
     	     	     	     	     

(B) Detailed collection protocol (include method of collection, explanation of documentation required for sample collection, etc.):      

(C) Methods for storage & shipment (details of packaging/delivery methods, logistical coordination of shipments, contacts required):      
(D) How will payment be arranged for shipping and/or processing?      
(E) Describe the plan for disposition of unexpended biomaterials or extracts/ derivatives or animals after study      
(F) Biomaterials agreement statement (initial each statement and sign and date below):
PI initial:       The undersigned agrees that biomaterials provided will only be used for the purposes described in previous sections of this application or as described here:      
PI initial:       The undersigned ensures that materials will not be sold or developed for commercial purposes, nor will they be distributed to a third party.
PI initial:       The undersigned accepts all risks and responsibility for the receipt, handling, use, storage and disposal of the materials and understands that there are potential unknown zoonotic hazards associated with the handling of the requested biomaterials.
PI initial:       The undersigned agrees that this transmission of samples does not transfer ownership and that all use and disposition of the samples remains under the express control of the institution owning the animal

If an alternative ownership agreement is requested, provide justification:      

PI initial:       The undersigned is solely responsible for the costs associated with the processing, packing and shipping of samples requested and for obtaining all necessary permits pertaining to the receipt and use of the samples, or per the agreement described here:      
PI signature:       Date:      

SECTION 7 - Supplemental Materials/Attachments Checksheet
 Principal Investigator CV - (section 1)
 AZA endorsement/support letter(s) - (section 4)

List attachments:      

 IACUC approval letter(s) or notification(s) of pending review(s) - (section 4)

List attachments:      

 Proof of permit approval(s) or acceptance(s) for processing - (section 4)

List attachments:      

 IRB approval letter(s) or notification(s) of pending review(s)- (section 4)

List attachments:      

 Human subjects protocols - (section 5)

List attachments:      

 Animal subjects protocols - (section 5)

List attachments:      

 Other

List attachments: